The present advanced seatbelt system relates, in general, to vehicle seatbelt systems.
Many passenger vehicles are equipped with an ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) or ALR (Automatic Locking Retractor) type seat belts. Both types of seatbelts latch when vehicle brakes or the vehicle is in a steep downward or upward angle such as when driving downhill or uphill, or in a sharp or high speed turn with high g-levels. The seatbelt is usually latched at a 0.2-0.5 g level of deceleration.
Both seatbelt systems employ a motor driven retractor, which retracts the seatbelt webbing from a pulled-out position toward the original, retracted, non-use position. A motor drives the shaft which carries one portion of the seatbelt in a wind-up reel. A latch mechanism, such as a tooth wheel and lever arrangement or a rack and pinion gear arrangement is coupled to the seatbelt retractor to lock the seatbelt from further extensions.
Seatbelt pre-tension systems are employed using a high force element, such as an air cylinder, explosive charge, etc., to lock the seatbelt from further extraction during a crash or collision event. Such pre-tensioner systems are responsive to a vehicle electronic control unit which uses information from vehicle mounted crash sensors to detect an actual crash event.
Such seatbelt pre-tensioners are employed to prevent further forward movement of the passenger toward the airbag during a crash event so that the passenger is positioned at a proper distance for airbag deployment.
However, it is common for a passenger or the vehicle driver to not be centered in an upright seated position in the seat. Drivers and passengers slouch, lean to one side or the other, lean forward or back for comfort, or when the car is experiencing high g-levels during sharp or high speed turns, or is driving at a steep downhill angle.
What is needed to insure proper airbag deployment effectiveness is a seatbelt system which moves the driver or passenger toward a center upright seated position in a vehicle seat prior to the start of an actual crash event.